AUDI AG delivered around 125,100 automobiles in February. In North America (+16.1%) strong demand for the Audi A4 and the Q7 in particular once again translated into double-digit growth. Likewise in Europe (+1.9%), the Four Rings achieved the best start to the year in its history and continued to grow in February. In China, Audi is currently holding intensive talks with its local partners in order to position the joint cooperation suitably for the planned next stage of growth. In this phase the Chinese dealers are managing their business cautiously and reported 5.8 percent fewer deliveries in the past month than a year ago. Global sales in February were thus 1.1 percent below the record-breaking figure from 2016

“We see huge opportunities for the future in China, as the world’s leading market for sales, digitization and e-mobility,” says Dietmar Voggenreiter, Board member for Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG. “We are preparing our business model for these opportunities and intend to take far-reaching, sustainable decisions with our partners. In so doing we are taking a challenging, yet important step.”

In January, Audi decided with its joint venture partner FAW to intensify the joint collaboration in China as part of a strategic growth plan. The agreement envisages, among other things, extending the locally produced portfolio with further electrified models. In the second step, the operational implementation of the future agenda is now to be defined with the Chinese dealers. Furthermore, Audi is looking at future collaboration with SAIC in a potential second joint venture in order to open up further market potential. “This phase of far-reaching strategic structural decisions will still take some time. The top priority for us is to further develop the Chinese business profitably for all partners,” says Voggenreiter. Meanwhile, the Chinese dealers reported 32,155 delivered automobiles for the month of February, 5.8 percent less than one year ago, following a sharp drop in sales in January compared with 2016.

By contrast, Audi sales grew in Europe, where around 66,400 deliveries in February exceeded the 2016 figure by 1.9 percent. The brand achieved substantial gains especially in southern Europe: In Spain, sales rose by another 7.1 percent to 4,949 units and in Italy even by 29.9 percent to 6,125 customers in the month. With the new Q2, Audi is successfully attracting an above-average number of new customers in both markets; Italy is currently the largest export market for the city SUV. Across all models, the constant growth over the past few months for Audi was also maintained in the German domestic market (+1.8% to 29,017 cars) in February. In the United Kingdom, by contrast, the local generation changeover for the right-hand-drive versions of the Audi Q5 and the A5 Sportback left its mark. 5,203 units sold in the United Kingdom was 2.8 percent below the previous year’s figure. Business in Europe continued to be dampened by the market weakness in Russia: down 22.9 percent to 1,350 automobiles in February.

Among all markets, the United States achieved the largest growth in terms of sales volume most recently. 13,741 customers in total decided to buy a model from Audi of America in February, up 17.3 percent compared with the same month in 2016. Demand for the Q7 continues to be particularly high in the U.S. market: The full-size SUV saw sales rise in February by 49.8 percent to 2,477 units, thus climbing into second spot of the bestselling Audi models in the United States since the start of the year. Across all Q models, Audi’s SUV sales increased last month by 35.8 percent to 6,874 U.S. customers. Sales of the A4 also increased further in February to counter the market downturn in the sedan segment, with the model achieving a 30.1 percent increase to 2,377 deliveries in the United States. In Canada, sales of the A4 rose to more than double the previous year’s figure (+132.2 percent to 418 A4 models), on the back of a similar jump in January. Total sales across the entire portfolio also proved very positive in February for Audi Canada: 1,970 cars sold once more represent high growth of 27.8 percent.

In March, the new Audi A5 Coupé will be premiered in the United States and Canada. The United States has been the largest global sales market for the first generation of the model. The sporty Audi Coupé has captured two thirds of its U.S. drivers as new customers for the brand.

By contrast, Audi sales grew in Europe, where around 66,400 deliveries in February exceeded the 2016 figure by 1.9 percent. The brand achieved substantial gains especially in southern Europe: In Spain, sales rose by another 7.1 percent to 4,949 units and in Italy even by 29.9 percent to 6,125 customers in the month. With the new Q2, Audi is successfully attracting an above-average number of new customers in both markets; Italy is currently the largest export market for the city SUV. Across all models, the constant growth over the past few months for Audi was also maintained in the German domestic market (+1.8% to 29,017 cars) in February. In the United Kingdom, by contrast, the local generation changeover for the right-hand-drive versions of the Audi Q5 and the A5 Sportback left its mark. 5,203 units sold in the United Kingdom was 2.8 percent below the previous year’s figure. Business in Europe continued to be dampened by the market weakness in Russia: down 22.9 percent to 1,350 automobiles in February.

Among all markets, the United States achieved the largest growth in terms of sales volume most recently. 13,741 customers in total decided to buy a model from Audi of America in February, up 17.3 percent compared with the same month in 2016. Demand for the Q7 continues to be particularly high in the U.S. market: The full-size SUV saw sales rise in February by 49.8 percent to 2,477 units, thus climbing into second spot of the bestselling Audi models in the United States since the start of the year. Across all Q models, Audi’s SUV sales increased last month by 35.8 percent to 6,874 U.S. customers. Sales of the A4 also increased further in February to counter the market downturn in the sedan segment, with the model achieving a 30.1 percent increase to 2,377 deliveries in the United States. In Canada, sales of the A4 rose to more than double the previous year’s figure (+132.2 percent to 418 A4 models), on the back of a similar jump in January. Total sales across the entire portfolio also proved very positive in February for Audi Canada: 1,970 cars sold once more represent high growth of 27.8 percent.

In March, the new Audi A5 Coupé will be premiered in the United States and Canada. The United States has been the largest global sales market for the first generation of the model. The sporty Audi Coupé has captured two thirds of its U.S. drivers as new customers for the brand.

The specified fuel consumption and emission data have been determined according to the measurement procedures prescribed by law. Since 1st September 2017, certain new vehicles are already being type-approved according to the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), a more realistic test procedure for measuring fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Starting on September 1st 2018, the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) will be replaced by the WLTP in stages. Owing to the more realistic test conditions, the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions measured according to the WLTP will, in many cases, be higher than those measured according to the NEDC. For further information on the differences between the WLTP and NEDC, please visit
www.audi.de/wltp.

We are currently still required by law to state the NEDC figures. In the case of new vehicles which have been type-approved according to the WLTP, the NEDC figures are derived from the WLTP data. It is possible to specify the WLTP figures voluntarily in addition until such time as this is required by law. In cases where the NEDC figures are specified as value ranges, these do not refer to a particular individual vehicle and do not constitute part of the sales offering. They are intended exclusively as a means of comparison between different vehicle types. Additional equipment and accessories (e.g. add-on parts, different tyre formats, etc.) may change the relevant vehicle parameters, such as weight, rolling resistance and aerodynamics, and, in conjunction with weather and traffic conditions and individual driving style, may affect fuel consumption, electrical power consumption, CO2 emissions and the performance figures for the vehicle.

Further information on official fuel consumption figures and the official specific CO2 emissions of new passenger cars can be found in the “Guide on the fuel economy, CO2 emissions and power consumption of new passenger car models”, which is available free of charge at all sales dealerships and from DAT Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH, Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, D-73760 Ostfildern, Germany and at
www.dat.de.